This started as a thread under maintenance I decided to copy it here so more people could look it over, I hope this helps everyone when they need to rebuild or service this box behind the dashboard on 71-73 cars equiped with air conditioning.
Link to my photos of rebuilding a heater A/C box you may have to copy and paste the link to make it work right due to spaces.
http://s1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater Box AC/
----------------
Reference this for position of levers
http://www.metromusclecars.com/71-73_ac_heater_control.jpg
--------------
Make sure your octopus is in good shape and the rubber isn't falling apart.
The problem is the colors fad over time. Example Purple can be faded to white.
--------------
Black is the main vacuum line from the Vacuum canister in the engine bay.
This is the main feed for all vacuum motors. The Vacuum canister is mounted on the
passenger side of the engine bay apron. It acts as Vacuum storage. The climate control system is
one giant vacuum leak so the vacuum canister helps stabilize the system.
It has a larger input vacuum line, that comes from full manifold vacuum, and the outlet
is a smaller line that goes into the Cabin through the firewall.
you will notice on the firewall there are 2 vacuum lines one going into the cabin and a second going to the
coolant Bypass valve on the Heater core feeds coming off the water pump on the engine.
----------------
Blue controls the center vents/defroster vents deflector.
when you set the system off Hi/lo vent, this motor activates, closes the door that
feeds the center dash vents and drivers and passenger side vents, sending all upper air in the system to the
defroster under the windshield
view of the blue motor
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1071.jpg
-----------------
Red/yellow controls the floor vent and sends air to the upper vents. red is the bottom connection, yellow top/side.
this is the only double vacuum motor and its attached to the center fan blower unit.
this vacuum motor is used when you adjust how much air to send to the defroster or floor. as you adjust the control slider between floor and defrost this vacuum motor moves the flapper.
view of the red/yellow
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1068.jpg
-----------------
White controls the fresh air intake, its only on when the A/C is set to max power, when the A/C control is set
to max(recycle cabin air) the arm comes down under vacuum and lifts the flapper door under the fresh air
intake from the cowl. this chokes off the fresh air and opens up the side door to allow internal cabin air to
go back through the system for additional heating or cooling, this motor is in the upper position all the time
letting fresh air in, until the upper selector lever is set all the way to the left A/C MAX.
view of the white vacuum motor
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1058.jpg
view of valve
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1121.jpg
---------------
purple controls the lower heater bypass, and is tied to the coolant bypass valve in the engine bay,
through a valve on the front of the heater box, behind the glove box.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1120.jpg
As you shift the lower A/C controls from Hot to Cold purple slowly chokes off the heater core allowing air to bypass
at the bottom of the main box once the A/C control lever is set fully to cold the cable arm hits the button
on the heater box valve which turns on vacuum to the coolant bypass valve in the engine compartment and shuts down
the heater core completely. As you move the hot/cold slider there is also a mechanically connection to a second upper flapper that again controls the amount of heat entering the system. when the system is fully cold, the upper door is closed the bottom door is open, the upper flapper arm makes contact with the valve and vacuum goes back out to the engine bay to turn off coolant to the heater core.
complete view of Purple system
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1118.jpg
the octopus is in the lower right, feeds up the right side into the vacuum motor, it splits to the left center of
picture and feeds the white valve, that is turned on when the arm hits the button on it. which then turns on the vacuum line
out to the engine bay and shuts down the coolant valve to the heater core.
--------------
now there is an electrical switch for the A/C compressor which is only turned on when the lower selector is set
to full cold. this is part of the main A/C controls at the bottom of the center dash.
so its possible to set the upper lever to A/C MAX, and the lower lever off COOL and have the system recycle
cabin air and heat it again without the A/C compressor on.
there is also a temperature sensor that runs through the evaporator to prevent the evaporator from icing up and
overloading the A/C compressor.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1142.jpg
there is also a mechanical pressure valve that both a/c lines go through in the engine bay it usually has
an orange cap on it. this prevents damage from over pressurizing the system.
What things look like installed in the dash
here you can see the Purple lines and the white line above.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1182.jpg
connections to the temperature sensor for the evaporator core.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1181.jpg
blue line feed on the center fan unit. you can also see the black line main feed and the purple line going out to
the coolant bypass valve
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1196.jpg
view of the red line
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1197.jpg
view of the octopus
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1206.jpg
complete system laid out on floor.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1220.jpg
Link to my photos of rebuilding a heater A/C box you may have to copy and paste the link to make it work right due to spaces.
http://s1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater Box AC/
----------------
Reference this for position of levers
http://www.metromusclecars.com/71-73_ac_heater_control.jpg
--------------
Make sure your octopus is in good shape and the rubber isn't falling apart.
The problem is the colors fad over time. Example Purple can be faded to white.
--------------
Black is the main vacuum line from the Vacuum canister in the engine bay.
This is the main feed for all vacuum motors. The Vacuum canister is mounted on the
passenger side of the engine bay apron. It acts as Vacuum storage. The climate control system is
one giant vacuum leak so the vacuum canister helps stabilize the system.
It has a larger input vacuum line, that comes from full manifold vacuum, and the outlet
is a smaller line that goes into the Cabin through the firewall.
you will notice on the firewall there are 2 vacuum lines one going into the cabin and a second going to the
coolant Bypass valve on the Heater core feeds coming off the water pump on the engine.
----------------
Blue controls the center vents/defroster vents deflector.
when you set the system off Hi/lo vent, this motor activates, closes the door that
feeds the center dash vents and drivers and passenger side vents, sending all upper air in the system to the
defroster under the windshield
view of the blue motor
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1071.jpg
-----------------
Red/yellow controls the floor vent and sends air to the upper vents. red is the bottom connection, yellow top/side.
this is the only double vacuum motor and its attached to the center fan blower unit.
this vacuum motor is used when you adjust how much air to send to the defroster or floor. as you adjust the control slider between floor and defrost this vacuum motor moves the flapper.
view of the red/yellow
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1068.jpg
-----------------
White controls the fresh air intake, its only on when the A/C is set to max power, when the A/C control is set
to max(recycle cabin air) the arm comes down under vacuum and lifts the flapper door under the fresh air
intake from the cowl. this chokes off the fresh air and opens up the side door to allow internal cabin air to
go back through the system for additional heating or cooling, this motor is in the upper position all the time
letting fresh air in, until the upper selector lever is set all the way to the left A/C MAX.
view of the white vacuum motor
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1058.jpg
view of valve
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1121.jpg
---------------
purple controls the lower heater bypass, and is tied to the coolant bypass valve in the engine bay,
through a valve on the front of the heater box, behind the glove box.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1120.jpg
As you shift the lower A/C controls from Hot to Cold purple slowly chokes off the heater core allowing air to bypass
at the bottom of the main box once the A/C control lever is set fully to cold the cable arm hits the button
on the heater box valve which turns on vacuum to the coolant bypass valve in the engine compartment and shuts down
the heater core completely. As you move the hot/cold slider there is also a mechanically connection to a second upper flapper that again controls the amount of heat entering the system. when the system is fully cold, the upper door is closed the bottom door is open, the upper flapper arm makes contact with the valve and vacuum goes back out to the engine bay to turn off coolant to the heater core.
complete view of Purple system
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1118.jpg
the octopus is in the lower right, feeds up the right side into the vacuum motor, it splits to the left center of
picture and feeds the white valve, that is turned on when the arm hits the button on it. which then turns on the vacuum line
out to the engine bay and shuts down the coolant valve to the heater core.
--------------
now there is an electrical switch for the A/C compressor which is only turned on when the lower selector is set
to full cold. this is part of the main A/C controls at the bottom of the center dash.
so its possible to set the upper lever to A/C MAX, and the lower lever off COOL and have the system recycle
cabin air and heat it again without the A/C compressor on.
there is also a temperature sensor that runs through the evaporator to prevent the evaporator from icing up and
overloading the A/C compressor.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1142.jpg
there is also a mechanical pressure valve that both a/c lines go through in the engine bay it usually has
an orange cap on it. this prevents damage from over pressurizing the system.
What things look like installed in the dash
here you can see the Purple lines and the white line above.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1182.jpg
connections to the temperature sensor for the evaporator core.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1181.jpg
blue line feed on the center fan unit. you can also see the black line main feed and the purple line going out to
the coolant bypass valve
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1196.jpg
view of the red line
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1197.jpg
view of the octopus
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1206.jpg
complete system laid out on floor.
http://i1031.photobucket.com/albums/y377/72hcode/Heater%20Box%20AC/100_1220.jpg
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